Perhaps, you have already seen our articles about diapers and hygienic products. In these articles we already touched up slightly on the chemical content, but the focus was more on the alternatives. This article is for the more engaged readers, who like getting deeper into individual substances and their overall chemistry 
. If you are one of those readers (or want to be) we have created a nice, easy-to-read overview with specific substances, their health and environmental effects and current research and regulation.
Also, it is currently a big topic, as the EU prepares for the largest ban of toxic chemicals. This ban is focused on 6 main areas, one of them being single use nappies / diapers [1]. “Babies are extremely vulnerable to hazardous chemicals and can be absorbed through the skin. Hazardous chemicals are found in single-use nappies worn by babies almost constantly” [2].
Even though this is a very important and big step forward, it sadly shows us that there have been and still are many toxic chemicals in diapers and sanitary products. Protection of our babies is at the highest priority but sanitary products for women, for example, will remain without regulation. It is, therefore, important that we know what these substances are and try to avoid them. There are also other alternatives, read more in the article hygienic products.
Let’s have a look at the 10 worst chemicals that can be found in diapers, baby wipes, in menstrual products and even toilet paper – all products that we use very close to our reproductive systems and are exposed to for a long period of time.
Very rarely the ingredient list on the packaging includes all ingredients, sometimes there is no ingredient list at all! This is also why we should not completely trust the producers. Often they only mention that their diapers are “free from” something, or will only state key ingredients but will not disclose the full list of ingredients. To obtain the full list is often an investigative piece of work.
Picture source: pixabay.com
I highly recommend researching what kind of diapers and sanitary products you are using. And pick ones, whose producer is not keeping the ingredients a secret. It takes one research but will safeguard what you are using half of your life and your baby for several years. These few moments spent researching are definitely worth it!!! And be open to alternatives – they are hip!
We put together the table below, to help you identify the real nasties. You can see the 10 worst ingredients, what they are, where they are found. Importantly, what their effect on health can be and their effect on the environment. Lastly, we added what the EU is currently doing to protect us from these chemicals or what the industry is doing to provide safer alternatives. The sources to all this information can be found below the table.
Fact Sheet PAHs
What is it, what is it made of:
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
- Examples: Benzo(a)pyrene, Cyclopenta[c,d]pyrene, Chrysene
- a group of over 100 chemicals
- emitted during incomplete burning of fuels, garbage or other organic material
- also, tobacco smoke contains PAHs
Where to be found:
- can be found in both diapers and sanitary pads and are most probably produced during manufacturing processes using high temperatures
Health effect:
- cancerogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic chemicals identified as such by EU legislation on packaging & labelling
Effect environment:
- can be widely spread in air, water and soil
- are toxic to aquatic life and birds
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- The EU will regulate PAHs in diapers, until now unfortunately no regulation and you will not find them on the ingredients list.
Fact Sheet PCBs
What is it, what is it made of:
- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
- man-made organic chemicals produced for industrial processes
- the estimated total production in the world is 1.2-1.5 million tonnes
- banned in most countries by the 1980s
- still unwantedly produced during combustion processes
Where to be found:
- in hygienic articles, they are formed through cellulose bleaching
Health effect:
- known endocrine disruptors
Effect environment:
- are persistent organic pollutants (POP) also known as “forever chemicals”
- POPs stay in the environment, accumulate in living organisms and pose a risk to our health and the environment
- can be transported far away from the place they were produced
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- The EU will regulate PCBs in diapers, until now unfortunately no regulation and you will not find them on the ingredients list.
Fact Sheet Phthalates
What is it, what is it made of:
- family of man-made chemical compounds used to make plastics more flexible and harder to break
- examples: DBP, DEHP, DEP, and BBP
Where to be found:
- phthalates are everywhere, used in everything from household cleaners to food packaging to fragrance, cosmetics, and personal-care products
- often found in diapers and sanitary pads
- not in the ingredients list because it is hidden under fragrances
Health effect:
- known endocrine disruptors
- linked to increased risk of breast cancer, diabetes, birth defects, male reproductive abnormalities and low sperm count
Effect environment:
- some phthalates are bioaccumulative and have been detected in aquatic organisms
- some are toxic to aquatic organisms and may have endocrine disrupting effects in fish, birds and mammals
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- some have already been restricted since the 1990s, due to their toxicity to reproductive health
- the EU has banned some phthalates to be used in cosmetics and other articles
- human exposure to them is inevitable even after some restrictions have been put in place
- diapers based on plant based plastics and fragrance- free are most likely to not contain phthalates
Fact Sheet Chlorine – dioxins
What is it, what is it made of:
- dioxins are unwanted and often unavoidable by-product of burning or various industrial processes
Where to be found:
- The pulp in diapers and pads is bleached to be clean and white, this is often done with chlorine, which emits dioxins
- luckily, companies are moving away from chlorine bleaching
Health effect:
- according to the EPA, “dioxins are among the most toxic chemicals known to science”
- listed as highly carcinogenic chemicals
- exposure may cause skin reactions and altered liver function, impairments to the immune system, nervous system, endocrine system and reproductive functions
Effect environment:
- Dioxins, as PCBs, are also persistent organic pollutants (POP)
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- some diaper brands have made statements that they stopped using chlorine
- be careful, some brands have not stopped using chorine in all their products only in some lines. For example dm’s Babylove Nature has the free from chlorine statement, but the regular babylove line doesn’t (info from year 2023)
- The EU will regulate dioxins in diapers, until now unfortunately no regulation
Fact Sheet Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs)
What is it, what is it made of:
- gel-like crystals which absorb moisture
- for example sodium polyacrylate
Where to be found:
- used as filler in disposable diapers and pads
- absorbs fluids to prevent leakages
- usually mentioned in the ingredients list
Health effect:
- can cause skin irritations and respiratory problems
- had to be removed from tampons due to toxic shock syndrome concerns
- long-term health effects on babies not known, as it is relatively new
Effect environment:
- produces nonbiodegradable waste
- the disposal of synthetic SAP is a source of various environmental pollutants
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- research growing in bio-based SAPs, for example, certain types of cellulose or corn starch
Fact Sheet Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
What is it, what is it made of:
- organic compounds that easily become vapors or gases
- examples: methylene chloride, toluene, and xylene
Where to be found:
- many ingredients used in the production of disposable diapers and feminine hygiene products, can emit VOCs
Health effect:
- exposure increases the risk of brain impairment, asthma, certain cancers, and improper functioning of the reproductive system
- can cause damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system
Effect environment:
- produce indoor air pollution
- VOCs react in the atmosphere and create smog
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- not mentioned in the ingredients list as it is unintentional
Fact Sheet Fragrances
What is it, what is it made of:
- it is a term used to protect a company’s “secret formula.”
- it covers up to 4,000 different chemicals
Where to be found:
- in all sanitary products unless specifically mentioned “fragrance-free”
Health effect:
- allergic skin reactions or sensitivities
- some of the chemicals have been linked to health effects including cancer, reproductive toxicity, as for example, the already mentioned phthalates
Effect environment:
- air pollutant
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- there are many sanitary products on the market that are fragrance free, especially for diapers this is very often the case
Fact Sheet Dyes
What is it, what is it made of:
- color additives
Where to be found:
- making the color and patterns on diapers, pads and toilet paper
Health effect:
- many dyes and inks can cause allergic reactions
- can be contaminated with heavy metals, like lead
Effect environment:
- release of chemicals into the environment
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- some sanitary products on the market are dyes free or at least use pigments instead of dyes
- rather select products without unnecessary color-design features
Fact Sheet Formaldehyde
What is it, what is it made of:
- naturally occurring colorless gas
- often used in adhesives and glues
- It belongs to VOCs
Where to be found:
- some disposable diapers and pads use glues/adhesives which emit formaldehyde
Health effect:
- cancerogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic chemicals
- identified as such by EU legislation on packaging & labelling (CLP) and by The International Agency for Research on Carcinogens (IARC).
Effect environment:
- indoor air pollutant
- by exposure, it affects animal’s ability to breed, and reduces their life spans
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- glues are still heavily used in the disposable diaper industry
- There is some innovation for adhesives, for example heat and ultrasonic methods, or some diapers use a kind of a Velcro system that is adhesive-free
- In the new ban, the EU will regulate formaldehyde in diapers, until now unfortunately no regulation
- not mentioned in the ingredients list as it is unintentional
Fact Sheet Polyester, Polyethylene and other petroleum derivatives
What is it, what is it made of:
- fibers made of petroleum or natural gas
Where to be found:
- one of the main ingredients in diapers and sanitary products
- mentioned in the ingredients lists
Health effect:
- can off gas VOCs, which were mentioned above
- it is a material that doesn’t breathe and is not ideal for skin
Effect environment:
- produces high amounts of nonrecyclable and nonbiodegradable waste
- petroleum and natural gas extraction is problematic for the environment
Current regulation and/or available alternatives in use:
- plant based is available but not yet mainstream and more expensive
- some companies mention that they use plant based polyethylene but actually are using a mix a both
Sources
[1] https://eeb.org/the-great-detox-largest-ever-ban-of-toxic-chemicals-announced-by-eu/
[2] https://docs.google.com/document/d/12NMPna_e2UBfSKmJaFFDWzjhsUy3r-ujhcl7r21mDRo/edit
Fact sheet sources
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dangerous-beauty-products_b_4168587
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165993621002314
https://www.ewg.org/research/diaper-guide/
https://www.wecf.org/toxins-in-babies-diapers-ngos-call-on-eu-commission-to-act/
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/10/phthalates-plastics-chemicals-research-analysis
https://echa.europa.eu/understanding-pops
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/pcbspcts_en
https://www.wecf.org/toxins-in-babies-diapers-ngos-call-on-eu-commission-to-act/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7464871/
https://www.wecf.org/toxins-in-babies-diapers-ngos-call-on-eu-commission-to-act/
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